A large number of prior art designs were evolved to support helically wound fusible elements of fuses intended for elevated voltages. One support of relatively recent date is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,138 to Frederick J. Kozacka, 08/10/71 for HIGH-VOLTAGE FUSE. The fusible element support shown in that patent consists of a laminate of glass-cloth and melamine resin, which is a material that evolves gas under the action of electric arcs. On high fault currents gas-evolving fusible element supports sometimes evolve an excess of gas, as a result of which the fuse casing must be reinforced, if bursting thereof is to be avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,745 to Donald D. Blewitt, 12/09/75 for HIGH VOLTAGE FUSE WITH LOCALIZED GAS EVOLVING SUPPRESSORS eliminates the drawbacks of prior art designs. According to that patent the supporting rods for the fusible element are made of a non-gas-evolving substance and are provided with inserts of a gas-evolving substance. Gas evolution is, therefore, limited to the aforementioned inserts or suppressors.
The above design is, however, still subject to limitations. One of these limitations resides in the fact that there is no freedom of varying the pitch of the fusible element or elements without, at the same time, varying the position of the gas-evolving inserts or suppressors. Another limitation of the above design resides in the fact that each supporting rod comprises two materials, a non-gas-evolving substance and a gas-evolving substance. The fabrication of fusible element supporting rods of several materials weakens the strength of the rods, and greatly increases the manufacturing cost of a fuse whose fusible element, or elements, are supported by such rods, i.e. the manufacturing cost of a fuse as a whole.
The present invention eliminates the limitations to which fuses manufactured under U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,745 are subject.